Ancient DNA Reveals Plague Was Already Killing Humans 5,500 Years Ago
Ancient DNA from 46 burials found Yersinia pestis in 18 individuals, showing plague was already killing small Siberian communities 5,500 years ago.
9 Articles
9 Articles
Hunter-gatherers who lived on the shores of Russia's Lake Baikal 5,500 years ago are the oldest known victims of a plague epidemic. This is evident from research into burial sites in the region. The discovery changes the scientific view of plague outbreaks. The cause of the epidemic is likely to be found in the marmot, which was hunted.
Ancient DNA reveals plague was already killing humans 5,500 years ago
Plague was already a deadly killer 5,500 years ago, long before cities, farming, or the rat-infested conditions usually linked to historic outbreaks. By analyzing ancient DNA from hunter-gatherer cemeteries in Siberia, researchers discovered early plague strains in nearly 40% of the individuals studied and found evidence of rapid family-based outbreaks that wiped out many children and young teenagers.
This Deadly Disease Was Wiping Out Humans 5,500 Years Ago
A new study suggests plague was already a deadly threat 5,500 years ago, striking small hunter-gatherer communities long before cities and agriculture emerged. For centuries, plague has been remembered as the disease that devastated medieval Europe, killing millions and reshaping societies. But new research suggests its deadly history stretches much further back than previously thought. [...]
Ancient teeth from Siberia rewrite the plague’s timeline, dating back to over 5,500 years ago - WXXV News 25
By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists have found the oldest known evidence of the plague, which sparked deadly outbreaks dating back about 5,500 years ago — some 200 years earlier than previously thought. The disease has sickened humans for thousands of years and wiped out a significant chunk of Europe’s population in the 14th century during what’s known as the Black Death. Though rare, the plague is still around today and is treat…
The authors argue that these outbreaks occurred several centuries before the infections documented so far in neolithic populations, which advances the known chronology of the disease and provides new clues about its origin. The work has been done by a team of researchers from Oxford University, the University of Copenhagen and other international institutions. The results come from the analysis of ancient DNA of 42 individuals buried in four cem…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 75% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
